Inside the classroom: Teaching kids to embrace dental health with fun and ease

SIKESTON — SEMO Christian Academy in Sikeston had a special dental education session aimed at easing students fears of the dentist.

On Friday, Feb. 28, Sikeston dentist Lori Adell with SEMO Health Network led the interactive visit.

Adell showed the children how to clean their teeth, what foods are good and bad for your teeth and what all the dentist wears.

Penny Nicholson, SEMO Christian Academy preschool teacher, said Adell always puts on her dental coat and will pick out children to come up to the front with her and wear a dental coat while she teaches how to clean teeth.

“She also will have a stuff animal, Allie the Alligator, with her who spits out water,” Nicholson said.“She teaches them to not be afraid when they go to the dentist just because the dentist has a mask on. She explains the mask is to protect him from germs when cleaning teeth.”

Nicholson said Adell will teach the kids to clean their front teeth, back teeth and tongue.

According to Nicholson, the children really love Adell’s visit.

Adell said she has visited the school and presenting the dental education session since 2009.

“My oldest daughter had gone to preschool here so I started coming and doing this when she was in school,” Adell said.

Adell said she enjoys it, and she thinks it's important to help inform the children.

“I just want to help educate the kids to learn more about taking care of their teeth,” Adell said. “I think the more they know about it, the more responsible they are for their own dental health which will keep them from getting cavities.”

Adell said she does see a lot of children who are scared of the dentist which is why she wants to teach them to not be afraid.

“Sometimes the kids are scared, but they don’t know what to be afraid of yet so I love to get the kids before they have a bad experience. So, I can create a positive experience for them in their dental life,” Adell said.

Prior to Adell’s visit on Friday, Nicholson said she does a dental unit with the kids, too.

Nicholson said she believes the dental visit is really beneficial for the children.

“My personal opinion is that it’s a good thing to do because it allows the kids to see things in person and it allows her to explain things really well to the children,” Nicholson said. “That way they won’t ever be scared to go to the dentist.

Nicholson continued: “You never know when a child may fall and hit a tooth in school or at home and you don’t ever want them to be scared to death to go to the dentist like they are a lot of times when they have to get a shot. We’ve been doing this for years. It’s a neat thing to do and the children love it.”